That the New York Times has written an anti-Trump editorial is not surprising. That the editorial takes up an entire page is more so. The newspaper on Monday published a 1,366-word editorial under the headline "The President Is Not Above the Law," notes CNN media writer Brian Stelter.

The editors warn that the president may soon fire Robert Mueller or the man overseeing his investigation, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. "Lawmakers need to be preparing now for that possibility because if and when it comes to pass, they will suddenly find themselves on the edge of an abyss, with the Constitution in their hands," reads the editorial.

The piece implores Republican lawmakers in particular not to fall in line behind the president if he acts. "The president is not a king but a citizen," and thus not above the law, the editorial reads.

"We hope Mr. Trump recognizes this. If he doesn’t, how Republican lawmakers respond will shape the future not only of this presidency and of one of the country’s great political parties, but of the American experiment itself." So why the full page? The editor of the editorial page—which is separate from the newsroom—tells CNN that they wanted to make clear just how big of a "constitutional crisis" this would be.

So far, Trump himself has not responded to the newspaper he loves to call the "Failing New York Times."